MPs Crave For Friendly Transition

The needless hostility and mistrust that have characterized the transition from one democratically-elected administration to the other in recent times in the country has been condemned by Members of Parliament (MPs). Making contributions in support of the report of the Committee on Constitution, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs on the Presidential (Transition) Bill, which is currently before Parliament, the lawmakers called for more friendly process of transfer of power devoid of rancour and disrespect for political opponents. Transfer of political power from one political party administration to another since 2001 to date has been marred by rancour, suspicion, administrative lapses and unnecessary controversies. The difficulties, according to political analysts, have ensued because various constitutions after independence did not provide for formal transitional arrangements. The Presidential Transition Bill, which was spearheaded by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and other stakeholders including political parties, seeks to establish a framework for the political transfer of administration from one democratically elected government to the other and to ensure the regulation of the political transfer of power and related matters. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, MP for New Juaben North, who is also a former minister of state, noted that the Bill when passed into law, will help �lead the country to a more civilized way of governance.� MP for Tamale South in the Northern Region, Haruna Iddrisu said the bane of transitions has been who has taken this or that, urging every public office holder to avoid impropriety as that could be the basis for political prosecution. Ministers, he further entreated, must learn to get their handing-over notes ready before they move out of office. Politicians who handover power, he pointed out, should not be treated as criminals, particularly when there is no justification for that. �We must learn to say thank you to people for their service. We must learn to honour service to our country and service to our nation,� Haruna Iddrisu, who is also the Minister for Communications advocated. Isaac Kwame Asiamah, MP for Atwima-Mponua in the Ashanti Region, said government officials must be treated with dignity when they exit power. �Former Heads of state should be treated with respect and dignity when they leave office after serving the country,� Isaac Asiamah, who is also the Minority spokesperson on Youth and Sports, noted. He said the practice whereby former presidents are vilified should be a thing of the past, stressing that they must be encouraged to continuously serve the nation. Mr. Asiamah pointed out that although both former presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor are out of office they are serving the nation in various forms. Both former heads of state, he noted, have won international prizes, which they have not kept to themselves but are using the money received from the awards for the socio-economic and political development of the country. The Presidential Bill, he noted, �will cure the disease whereby previous government officials are treated as demons and common criminals by succeeding governments.� The Bill provides 14 clauses under various headings including the transition team, functions of the team, meetings of sub-committees, advisory council, handing-over notes and availability of the handing-over notes. The rest are presidential estate unit, inventory of assets, vacation of official residence; election of Speaker, swearing in of the president, interpretation and transitional provisions.